Faith…Don’t Lock It Inside
For me, this past Sunday night was the best way to end this year’s football season. My two favorite teams were in the Super Bowl! I sat in my living room with my wife and watched the Saints come out victorious. Let me explain to you how I watched the game. I got home from church, ate a little something, and then I sat down in my recliner to peacefully watch the game, ever-mindful that I need not get too excited. After a quiet cup of tea, I watched the trophy celebration while snuggled up in front of the fire place contemplating the great plays I had seen. After that, Malia and I congratulated each other and then headed off for a peaceful night’s sleep. NOT! In fact just the opposite happened, I actually came home in a rush and scarfed down something to eat. I then quickly put the girls to bed and sat down to watch my Saints knock around the Colts. I had a really hard time sitting still. Instead, I was up hoopin’ and hollerin’ so loud that I was disturbing the sleep of my children. After much boisterous celebration, Malia and I watched the trophy presentation. I had a hard time falling asleep because I was so juiced with adrenaline. While laying in bed thinking about the game, I became a little convicted. When was the last time I was that excited over Jesus? Why do we think it is appropriate to get so excited about other things when that excitement does not transfer to the celebration of Jesus Christ?
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
A people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him
Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are a people;
Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
1 Peter 2:9-10
When we think about where we have come from, we should be a different people, a peculiar people as compared to the world. Erwin McManus, in his book entitled The Barbarian Way, explains what our faith should look like. He states that our faith should not be tamed faith; but, instead, should be an untamed faith. “To have the Spirit of God dwelling within the heart of someone who chooses a domesticated faith is like having a tiger trapped within a cage. You are not intended to be a spiritual zoo where people can look at God in you from a safe distance. You are a jungle where the Spirit roams wild and free in your life. You are the recipient of the God who cannot be tamed and of a faith that must not be tamed. You are no longer a prisoner of time and space, but a citizen of the kingdom of God- a resident of the barbarian tribe. God is not a sedative that keeps you calm and under control by dulling your senses. He does quite the opposite. He awakens your Spirit to be truly alive. (p. 66)”
As we seek to be the worshipers God has called us to be, may we let the passion we have pour out of us so that the world may know that OUR GOD REIGNS!
Aaron Hodges
Monday, February 8, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
WISDOM...WHO WANTS IT?
Wisdom…Who Wants It?
Five years ago, the night my daughter went to be with Jesus, was a time when I needed wisdom that only God can give. I was not really sure how to break the news to my boys. Instead of asking God for wisdom, I passed the buck and had my Pastor tell them. This was the easy way out, not the best way. That same night, I saw God’s wisdom come out through my, then 8 year old son, Wade. After finding out about his sister, who he loved dearly, Louis Boyd took him for some ice cream to get away from the house. On that trip as Louis and Wade were driving, they came across a Tyson chicken truck. On the side of that truck was written “Tyson Chicken - What your family deserves”. Wade looked at Louis and said “Louis, this is not what my family deserves.” Louis responded by telling Wade how wise an observation that was for an 8 year old. I have been amazed at how wise Wade has always been. Where does that kind of wisdom come from? How do we get our hands on it?
To answer this question, let’s take a look at the wisest man ever recorded in history. No, it is not anyone around today. Instead, this man ruled around 971 - 931 BC. You can probably guess, but his name is Solomon. Solomon became King over Israel after the death of his father, King David. He came from very good stock. He had a few brothers that were not so good, but Solomon turned out alright. Solomon was by no means perfect. That can be seen by the number of wives and concubines he had. He had way too many for any man to keep happy. We see in I Kings 4:29 that Solomon was considered the wisest man. "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sands on the seashore." So how did he become so wise? His wisdom did not come with his genes. Even though his father was “a man after God’s own heart,” that did not guarantee his wisdom. In I Kings 3, we find out from where his wisdom came. One night after Solomon had offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord, the Lord came to him in a dream. He told him to ask for whatever he wanted and the Lord would give it to him. Solomon showed great wisdom by not asking God for his physical wants and needs, but instead he asked for a wise and discerning heart. God granted that very thing, and the rest is history.
Too often, we go to God with a list of requests including our physical wants and desires. I am not saying that the Lord is not interested in those things, but how much better off would the little things be if we had wisdom? We need wisdom to run our families. We need wisdom to lead God’s people. We need wisdom to do our jobs. We need wisdom to live our lives pleasing to God. When was the last time you started off your prayer time by asking God for wisdom? Why not start today? As we ask for wisdom today, and as God bestows it; our world will be a greater place for the Glory of God.
Seeking the Wisdom of Solomon,
Aaron Hodges
Five years ago, the night my daughter went to be with Jesus, was a time when I needed wisdom that only God can give. I was not really sure how to break the news to my boys. Instead of asking God for wisdom, I passed the buck and had my Pastor tell them. This was the easy way out, not the best way. That same night, I saw God’s wisdom come out through my, then 8 year old son, Wade. After finding out about his sister, who he loved dearly, Louis Boyd took him for some ice cream to get away from the house. On that trip as Louis and Wade were driving, they came across a Tyson chicken truck. On the side of that truck was written “Tyson Chicken - What your family deserves”. Wade looked at Louis and said “Louis, this is not what my family deserves.” Louis responded by telling Wade how wise an observation that was for an 8 year old. I have been amazed at how wise Wade has always been. Where does that kind of wisdom come from? How do we get our hands on it?
To answer this question, let’s take a look at the wisest man ever recorded in history. No, it is not anyone around today. Instead, this man ruled around 971 - 931 BC. You can probably guess, but his name is Solomon. Solomon became King over Israel after the death of his father, King David. He came from very good stock. He had a few brothers that were not so good, but Solomon turned out alright. Solomon was by no means perfect. That can be seen by the number of wives and concubines he had. He had way too many for any man to keep happy. We see in I Kings 4:29 that Solomon was considered the wisest man. "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sands on the seashore." So how did he become so wise? His wisdom did not come with his genes. Even though his father was “a man after God’s own heart,” that did not guarantee his wisdom. In I Kings 3, we find out from where his wisdom came. One night after Solomon had offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord, the Lord came to him in a dream. He told him to ask for whatever he wanted and the Lord would give it to him. Solomon showed great wisdom by not asking God for his physical wants and needs, but instead he asked for a wise and discerning heart. God granted that very thing, and the rest is history.
Too often, we go to God with a list of requests including our physical wants and desires. I am not saying that the Lord is not interested in those things, but how much better off would the little things be if we had wisdom? We need wisdom to run our families. We need wisdom to lead God’s people. We need wisdom to do our jobs. We need wisdom to live our lives pleasing to God. When was the last time you started off your prayer time by asking God for wisdom? Why not start today? As we ask for wisdom today, and as God bestows it; our world will be a greater place for the Glory of God.
Seeking the Wisdom of Solomon,
Aaron Hodges
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